Most dogs love going for walks. They get exercise, mental stimulation, and well-deserved attention. But for some, no matter how long the walk, it's never really enough, and they do everything to avoid the path home.
A video showing just this went viral. One TikToker captured a wholesomely funny moment of a guy and his dog walking home when, suddenly, the canine decided to pretend to be dead and drop on the ground, not giving into any kind of persuasion to keep moving. Scroll down for a full story!
More info: TikTok
Some dogs like walking so much that they simply refuse to go home, and there is little you can do about it
Image credits: jecuerr
A guy was walking with his dog when the canine suddenly stopped and dropped to the ground, pretending to be dead
A few weeks ago, a TikToker going by the name of jecuerr, or simply Jeceur, who, at the time, was working at his office in Madrid, Spain, captured a very cute and funny moment happening right outside.
Looking at the plaza below, the man saw another guy walking his dog. However, what captured his attention was that midway through the walk, the dog stopped, dropped on his back, and refused to go any further.
Image credits: jecuerr
Image credits: jecuerr
The guy tried everything to convince the dog to continue their walk, and it took a few minutes to get him going again
"I don't know if they were heading home or if they had just left on their walk, but the dog just decided to stop walking. It was just so funny," Jecuerr shared with The Dodo.
From gently pulling the dog by his harness to getting down on his knees and trying to persuade him to move, nothing seemed to work for the guy. "This went on for several minutes. Eventually, the owner was able to convince the dog to get going again."
The commenters couldn't get enough of this sight, either. Almost everyone was overtaken by the wholesomeness of the situation, saying how sweet the video was and laughing at how much effort the guy was putting into reasoning with his friend.
Check out the full video:
Image credits: jecuerr
Image credits: jecuerr
When the owner discovered the video of him and his dog online, he revealed that this is a normal routine, as his dog, Louie, loves walks and all the attention he gets during them
One of the viewers was a man named Chomin, who, together with his dog Louie, turned out to be the star of this viral video. In an interview with The Dodo, the guy shared that what was captured is actually quite a regular procedure.
"It's nothing new. When he sees that we are going home [from a walk], he almost always drops to the ground and wants to play and not move," shared Chomin, adding that there aren't many things that could make him skip his little ritual. "Even if it takes 2 or 3 hours in the morning [to get home], he always asks for more time on the street."
Unsurprisingly, this little trick works well for both passersby and Louie—especially Louie. "He attracts a lot of attention. People stop to pet him or make comments like, 'What a pretty dog, how handsome he is,' etc.," said the man, talking about how much the dog loves that.
Image credits: jecuerr
Image credits: chominchu
Of course, just like all humans are unique, so are dogs. Animal behaviorist Julie Bond, who Bored Panda reached out to for an interview, explained, "For every dog who doesn't want the walk to end, there are just as many dogs who can't get home fast enough!"
There are plenty of canines just like Louie, who won't ever miss a chance to get some exercise, do some sniffing (which is also a great stress reliever), check out what neighbors are doing, and meet some other animals or people. At the same time, there are many who would rather do none of that, dealing with their necessary business and returning home as quickly as possible.
Image credits: chominchu
Image credits: chominchu
Animal behaviorist Julie Bond explained that despite the many benefits, not all dogs love walking as much as Louie, and it's up to the owner to figure out what they prefer
When it comes to our four-pawed buddies who do love walking, the expert emphasized that humans need to remember that those walks are for the dog, not for them. "What this means is the walk should be 'dog focused' on things dogs like to do; encourage sniffing and exploring, things dogs love, and don't make the walk about cardio for you/the owner or walking a certain 'step count.'"
Julie added that when forced to walk according to their owner's wishes, some dogs even learn to hate this rather exciting and beneficial activity. But if your dog doesn't enjoy walking for whatever reason, there are still plenty of other ways to get them to exercise, and it is up to you to determine what your pet prefers.
Image credits: chominchu
Image credits: chominchu
But coming back to our story, the expert explained that dogs, like humans, map their world through familiarity and, even in new places, are great at remembering how to get back to where they started. Thus, if Chomin takes Louie on walks through the same old routes, it's no surprise that the dog is quick to recognize when and where they start heading home.
For owners with dogs like Louie, who just can't get enough walking and try every trick in the book to keep going, Julie suggests changing up the routine to make things easier and more exciting. "You have to take the predictability out of the equation. And if they still resist, don't buy into it. When they stop, stop too, but ignore them! Look at your phone, eat a snack, look around, etc. Anything that basically tells the dog you aren't paying attention to them."
Image credits: chominchu
Image credits: chominchu
She also added that these walks should be about the dog, not the owner, but if you do want to avoid tricks like those pulled by Louie, it's wise to change up your walking routine
The animal behaviorist concluded by explaining that dogs want all of your attention on them, so if you stop paying them when they're doing something you'd rather they didn't, they'll soon learn that to get what they desire, they have to keep moving. "But do remember that building in stops and breaks on a walk is a good thing, even if you aren't walking a puppy or senior dog. Just stop and smell the roses! It's good for everyone."
Image credits: chominchu
In the end, every pet owner would be wise to remember that their little buddy is as much of an individual as themselves, and they shouldn't be treated as a thing or a servant. But looking at Chomin and Louie, it's clear that they're a wonderful pair with great mutual understanding, and if this video proves anything, it's that they have a wholesomely beautiful bond that cannot be easily broken.
What did you think about this story? Does your dog love walking, or are they more of a couch potato? Tell us all about it in the comments below!
The commenters loved this wholesomely funny view and couldn't get enough of Louie and his cuteness
